Director’s Thoughts for July 2013

As the summer is simmering away, we are only 1 month away from DAF 2013!! Just the other day, DAF 2013 seemed to be a long time off. My how time flies!! 

On Wednesday, May 29th, the BOD held a meeting. Please be sure to read the minutes as printed in this month’s newsletter. There will be a lot of things going on under the tent @ DAF 2013. The board & its’ committee members have been busy beavers organizing & planning a 3 day, fun-filled, event for the “BUICK” participants. There are some fabulous BUICKS that have been registered coming from CT, MA, NY, NJ, PA, & MD. As DAF will be celebrating its’ 50th birthday w/ special events, the “Free Spirit” chapter will be celebrating BUICKS’ 110th birthday! Hope to see you @ DAF 2013!!

A huge “Congratulations” goes to Thomas Raab on obtaining his Senior Award on June 1st @ the AACA Carlisle Show with his 1977 Regal Colonnade Sedan! He is feeling mighty fine right now w/ this fine achievement!! Again, Congratulations Tom!!

Have you been out driving those beautiful BUICKS this summer yet? I sure hope so. As someone the other day had e-mailed to me, BUICKS WERE MADE TO BE DRIVEN! How true it is, isn’t it? After awhile, we get so caught up in our every day lives that we forget to stop to enjoy our BUICKS. Sure, you might think about what gas guzzlers they are, or you may be frightened on getting a stone chip, but really, you pay the insurance on your BUICKS for what, just to have them sit in your garage to look nice? What fun is that? Take them out for a spin. Let them take you for a nice stroll down memory lane. Reminisce about when you bought your BUICK & how it gave, & still can, give you the pleasure of driving a REAL car, a BUICK! 

On Thursday, July 4th, we will celebrate Independence Day. Humor me a bit & enjoy a brief history lesson with me. Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the US commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, BBQ’s, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, political speeches & ceremonies, in addition to various other public & private events celebrating the history, government & traditions of the U.S. Independence Day is the National Day of the U.S. Have a safe & enjoyable Holiday! 

“Free Spirit” Meeting Minutes, June 2013

No meeting held. Annual chapter picnic held @ Macungie Memorial Park, Macungie, Pa. 

Respectfully submitted by: Stacy J. Sterner, Secretary 

Board Of Directors Meeting Minutes, May 29, 2013

Meeting called to order @ 6:40 pm by Director Sally Getz. Members present: Clarence/Sally Getz, Don/Stacy Sterner, Dave Brady, Kelly Haas, Dan/Sandy Reiniger, Don Atwood, & Shirley Schaffer. Motion to accept BOD meeting minutes from March as printed in the March newsletter made by Don Sterner, seconded by Kelly Haas, so carried. 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

• June 16=Chapter picnic, Weeping Willow Pavilion, Macungie, Pa
• July 10=BOD meeting @ Dave’s @ 6:30 pm.
• 16-20=National NCA Meet, South bend, IN
• August 2-4=DAF 2013, Macungie, Pa
• 11=1 st ever BOP Classic & Antique Show, Hershey AACA Museum, Hershey, Pa, host by Blue/Gray Chapter, Oldsmobile Club of America. This is the first time this show! Please visit www.blue-graychapter.com or radioman@ptd.net for further information.
• September 3=Chapter meeting, guest speaker
• 14=Lighthouse Baptist Church Show, Breinigsville, Pa
• 15=Star Buick/GMC BOP Show, Easton, Pa
• October 3=Chapter meeting, nomination of officers
• 27=Old Car Show, Kempton, Pa
• November 5=Chapter meeting, election of officers
• 14=”Stoogeum” Museum tour
• December 3=Chapter “Holiday Gathering”, Starlite Diner & LoungeTOURS
• Train Museum, Hamburg, Pa-Dave Brady working out details for this tour.
• Stoogeum Museum, Ambler, Pa-Dan Reiniger & Sally Getz tourmasters
• Winery Tour, Lehigh County, Pa-Don/Stacy Sterner making arrangements of the Clover Hill Winery for November 2013. Final date to be determined.NEW BUSINESS

  It is with deep regrets to pass along the sad news of the sudden & recent death of a fellow “Free Spirit” chapter member, Mr. Michael Pavlick (03/05/1944-04/10/2013, of Freeland, Pa. Michael passed suddenly on Wednesday, April 10, 2013. Sally sent sympathy on behalf of the “Free Spirit” chapter. Please keep Alice & her family in your thoughts & prayers as they go on each & every day. A 1969 Skylark Convertible is for sale, please contact Kim, 1-570-941-4147, kimberly.pavlick@scranton.edu

  Mr. Hank Reus, Jr, #45045, chapter director of the BOOM chapter, Mid-Atlantic Director of BCA PRE-War Division, & board member of the 1936-38 Buick Club has voluntarily accepted the position of the BCA’s new Chapter, Region & Division Coordinator, 6314 Banbury Road, Idlewylde, MD 21239-1524, 410-499-6196, dankerus@comcast.net. Congratulations to Hank!!

  DAS AWKSCHT FESCHT Tent-Tent will be set up by Thursday. Sally is asking chapter members to come by 3:00pm to help with set-up.

• Graph-A graph has been completed as to where cars & items will be placed under the tent.
• Car Placement(s)-Cars under the tent are to be there by Friday before 9:00am.
• Car Participant Display Cards-Sally has almost everyone’s information. To be taken to printer this week.
• Lazy Susan of Literature-Clarence working on display.
• “Welcome” Letter-Sally to work on this letter for each participant.
• Registration-To date, 1380 cars of all makes are registered. Shirley expects 2000. To date, BUICK registrations: Friday=47, Saturday=91. Sunday=76.
• Goodie Bags- Members asked to find things to be placed in Goodie bags. Items to date: “Welcome” letter, itinerary, tickets for Saturday bus tour (for those who responded), name tags.
• Fundraiser-Dave Brady ordered items: fans, rulers, yardsticks. Sally ordered & has received 25 BUICK blanket throws from Southern Charm. Sally has received gratis items from fellow BCA member, Helen Hutchings, to be used on Sundays’ social. Helen has also sent items to be “for Sale” .
• Raffle-Many raffle(s) will be held each day.
• Banner-Sally will be ordering banners
• Sponsors- Numerous persons and businesses.Itinerary-
• Friday Hospitality night-Held @ Dave Brady’s, Emmaus, Pa., 5 PM-?? Male chapter members needed to help w/ tables n’ chairs. Female chapter members are asked to assist Debbie w/ food(s). Please call Dave/Debbie @ 610-965-2172. Pre-registration, by July 1st for head count.
• Saturday Bus Tour-America On Wheels-11 AM- 3 PM. Lunch, “Roadside Treats”, provided @ AOW. Pre-registration required by July 1st.
• Sunday Peaches n’ Cream Social- 1 PM-2 PM.Awards- Chapter will present 3 awards. Presenter – Larry Iancola on Sunday.
• J. C. Taylor Award
• BCA Award
• Memory of Deceased Members Award Comments: “Thanks” to Dave/Debbie for their continued hospitality.Next BOD meeting = Wednesday, July 10, 2013.

  Motion made to adjourn meeting @ 8:40 pm by don Sterner, seconded by Kelly Haas, so carried.

  Respectfully submitted by: Stacy J. Sterner, Secretary

  America’s Need for Speed Comes with a Price,
  Reducing Speeding Related Traffic Deaths

  Time is short & so is your patience. You have people to see, places to go, & you want to get there as fast as you can. It won’t hurt to drive a little faster, will it?

  Most drivers don’t seem to think so. The 2011 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Culture Index poll found 52% of those responding admitted exceeding the speed limit by > 15 mph. The bad news for speeders is that it probably won’t get you where you’re going any faster. Driving 65 mph instead of 55, cuts a mere 4 minutes & 20 seconds off a 25-mile trip, & that’s assuming a constant speed & a steady flow of traffic.

  While you won’t save any time, speeding does cost you money. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), driving 70 mph instead of 55 can reduce fuel economy by as much as 25%. With gas prices hovering close to $3.60/gallon nationally, it really does pay to slow down.

  Violators quickly discover that the faster you drive the bigger the fine. Then there’s the loss of points & subsequent increase in your insurance premiums. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates the economic cost of speed-related crashes @ more than $40 billion each year. It could cost you your life. Make no mistake-speed kills. Despite improvements in nearly every other area of highway safety, speed remains a factor in approximately 1/3 of all traffic fatalities. In 2010, 10,530 people lost their lives in speeding-related crashes in the US.

  Traffic deaths have fallen to their lowest level since 1949, but since 2000, the share of fatalities linked to speeding has increased by 7%. Speeding remains the one area of highway safety where virtually no progress has been made in nearly 3 decades.

  A new report “Survey of the States: Speeding & Aggressive Driving,” by the Governors Highway Safety Organization (GHSA), reveals little improvement in state laws since 2005, w/ some states in fact, regressing. Only 2 states have increased fines for speeders, while 3 states, including PA, have created a new “super” or “excessive” speeder classification. 7 states, including Kentucky, Ohio, PA, have increased speed limits on certain roadways & currently, 34 states now have limits of 70 mph or higher. Texas has raised speed limits to 85 mph on some rural interstate highways-the highest speed limit in America.

  Remember, posted speed limits apply under ideal driving conditions. You need to slow down in conditions such as heavy rain, construction zone, or a rough or congested roadway.

  Decades of experience w/ seat belts & drunk driving have taught us that it takes education, effective enforcement & adjudication, along with grassroots advocacy to change attitudes & improve public safety. But unlike drunk driving or child passenger safety, few are advocating for a reduction in speed limits. While drivers overwhelmingly agree with current speed limits, they also overwhelmingly ignore them. Part of the problem may be that the need for speed is so deeply ingrained in our culture. Fast cars & car chases are a staple of movies, TV, & video games, & even when they do crash, injuries are rare. In reality, traveling @ 80 mph on a road with an average speed of 70 increases the risk of a fatal crash by about 70%.

  Speeding costs more than most of us think. If you do end up crashing, the laws of physics dictate that you’ll crash harder, do more damage to your car & be more likely to get hurt. So slow down, save money, save yourself the aggravation & maybe even save a life.

  “Free Spirit” Annual Chapter Picnic

  The chapter annual picnic was held under the Weeping Willow pavilion @ Macungie Memorial Park, Macungie, PA on Sunday, June 16th. Despite the threatening weather for possible T-storms, 42 “Free Spiriters” attended this fine event. There were lots of “YUMMY” selections to fill everyone’s empty stomachs. After lunch, the women got down to work @ folding, stamping, and getting the Kempton flyers ready to mail.

  Many car stories were exchanges along with kid stories too. Attending a chapter event is nice so members can get “caught up” with the many things that have happened, & which are presently happening in everyone’s daily lives. So many of the members know one another for many years that w/ some, their children grew up with so-&-so’s children, & now everyone’s children are grown up & have families of their own! The years are going by so quickly we sometimes get lost in our own lives & sometimes lose touch w/ others. So getting together with friends is a wonderful time. Besides reminiscing, it’s a good time to get to know some of our newer members too! What better way to get to know others than to attend events, right?

  Don Sterner, membership chairman, was available to receive chapter renewals. To date, many have renewed, but there still are a few who still need to. Remember, please renew your chapter dues by June 30th to Don Sterner.

  “BUICK BINGO” was played by many members w/ special games played for special BUICK gifts. Debbie Brady was the grand prize winner of a beautiful & famous metal “Valve-In-Head” sign. It sure would look good in anyone’s garage!!

  Everyone enjoyed their day despite it being “Father’s Day”. Some fathers attended & then still had time to be spent with their families elsewhere. All in all, it was another great & successful chapter event. “THANKS” to everyone who attended, who helped Clarence with the grilling, who helped set up, & then to pack up. Your assistance is much appreciated & does not go unnoticed!!

  We will be looking forward to next year. In the mean time, hope to see everyone @ DAF 2013!
  Clarence/Sally Getz

  CALENDAR OF EVENTS
  JULY (NO MEETING)
  4 – Car Show & Flea Market, Fleetwood Community Park, Fleetwood, PA. 13 – Cadillac/Lasalle club Inter-Regional Meet, AACA Museum, Hershey, Pa 717-557-6974
  17-20 – BCA National Meet, South Bend, IN
  20 – 13th Annual Thunderbird & Classic Car Show, Nazareth, Pa 610-434-2777
  AUGUST (NO MEETING)
  2-4 – DAF 2013. “BUICK”= feature car, host by “FREE SPIRIT” Chapter.
  SEPTEMBER 2013 
  3 – Monthly chapter meeting, Starlite Diner & Lounge, Rts. 100 & 78, 7:30 pm. Join members for supper @ 6:00 pm. Guest speaker will be present.
  15 – Star Buick GMC Show, Easton, Pa. NEW this year, Oldsmobile!! Could this be a BOP show?
  21 -Lighthouse Baptist Church Show, Breinigsville, Pa. 1:00 pm – ???? Tom/Sandy Sylvestor 610-366-7151(PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE)
  27-29 – Englishtown Swap Meet, Raceway Park, Englishtown, NJ
  CARS/PARTS “FOR SALE”1956 Buick Century 4 Dr. Riviera, PS, PB, AM/FM radio conversion, next to NEW COKER wide whites w/ rubber nubs. Rear air shocks to supplement the BUICK ride! Original unrestored BUICK! Also comes w/ large tote of NOS & rare items worth about almost $1,000 if sold on E-Bay. Shop manuals, showroom sales brochure & a file of all records of maintenance. Trim=633. Paint=BMB or 8M8. Acc:F S. Body= #530. Style= #56-4639. Model= #56-63. Vin=6C3005072. $14,000 but is subject to discussion. Bob @ 1-570-606-8061, bobs0825@msn.com

  1966 Buick Riviera – excellent condition. Is a BCA member. Located in CT. 15K OBO. Arlen Roth 914-629-9654

  1967 Electra Convertible – Original, loaded w/ options, excellent shape, nice driver, #9. Turquoise w/ black interior, mag wheels, electric trunk release, 3 note horn, corning lights, 6 power windows, speed reminder, etc. Always stored inside. Contact Harris, 215-248-5700

  1967 Electra Convertible – Original White w/ red interior. Same information as above on Turquoise Electra just the difference in color.

  1969 Slylark Convertible – kimberly.pavlick@scranton.edu

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